David Gunkel
@davidgunkel.bsky.social
Professor - Northern Illinois University (USA). Award-winning author of the books The Machine Question, Robot Rights, Person-Thing-Robot, Of Remixology, and Deconstruction. https://gunkelweb.com
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David Gunkel
@davidgunkel.bsky.social
· Nov 15
Deconstruction
An accessible introduction to a concept often considered impossibly abstruse, demonstrating its power as a conceptual tool in the twenty-first century.This v...
mitpress.mit.edu
Professional Raison d'être:
I apply the theory and practice of #Deconstruction to emerging technology (#Algorithms, #AI, #robots, etc.), overturning and disrupting the traditional binary oppositions by which we have made sense of our tools and ourselves. mitpress.mit.edu/978026254247...
I apply the theory and practice of #Deconstruction to emerging technology (#Algorithms, #AI, #robots, etc.), overturning and disrupting the traditional binary oppositions by which we have made sense of our tools and ourselves. mitpress.mit.edu/978026254247...
"AI, Ethics, and the End of the Human–Machine Divide." Third and final part of my conversation with Siamak Goudarzi for the Nexter AI Group podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq9f...
AI, Ethics, and the End of the Human–Machine Divide
YouTube video by Nexter AI Group
www.youtube.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:56 PM
"AI, Ethics, and the End of the Human–Machine Divide." Third and final part of my conversation with Siamak Goudarzi for the Nexter AI Group podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=iq9f...
I had the opportunity to speak with Seth Camillo and
@carolinerisberg.bsky.social for episode #55 "Is #AI Alive?" of the www.theinternetiscrack.com podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnxi...
@carolinerisberg.bsky.social for episode #55 "Is #AI Alive?" of the www.theinternetiscrack.com podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnxi...
#55 Is AI Alive?: A Conversation With Dr. David Gunkel
YouTube video by The Internet is Crack
www.youtube.com
November 10, 2025 at 7:27 PM
I had the opportunity to speak with Seth Camillo and
@carolinerisberg.bsky.social for episode #55 "Is #AI Alive?" of the www.theinternetiscrack.com podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnxi...
@carolinerisberg.bsky.social for episode #55 "Is #AI Alive?" of the www.theinternetiscrack.com podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mnxi...
"Empathy, Ethics & Robot Rights: How AI Changes What It Means to Be Human" - Part two of my conversation with Siamak Goudarzi for the Nexter AI Group podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2zK...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2zK...
Empathy, Ethics & Robot Rights: How AI Changes What It Means to Be Human | Gunkel × Goudarzi Part 2
YouTube video by Nexter AI Group
www.youtube.com
November 7, 2025 at 2:24 PM
"Empathy, Ethics & Robot Rights: How AI Changes What It Means to Be Human" - Part two of my conversation with Siamak Goudarzi for the Nexter AI Group podcast.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2zK...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2zK...
I had the opportunity to speak with Siamak Goudarzi about #AI personhood, #robotrights, and the moral/legal status of artifacts for the Nexter AI Group podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvUa...
Virtual Personhood & the End of Human Exceptionalism | Siamak Goudarzi x Prof. David Gunkel
YouTube video by Nexter AI Group
www.youtube.com
November 6, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I had the opportunity to speak with Siamak Goudarzi about #AI personhood, #robotrights, and the moral/legal status of artifacts for the Nexter AI Group podcast. www.youtube.com/watch?v=PvUa...
Interview about #GenerativeAI, authorship, and #ethics in the book "#AI Hokusai: Reflections on Art, #AI and Legacy" - aihokusai.art/report2025
November 5, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Interview about #GenerativeAI, authorship, and #ethics in the book "#AI Hokusai: Reflections on Art, #AI and Legacy" - aihokusai.art/report2025
Photos from the "Rights for Robots?" event at Knox College a few weeks ago. My thanks to Robert Geraci for organizing the event and showing me around Galesburg, IL.
November 5, 2025 at 2:30 AM
Photos from the "Rights for Robots?" event at Knox College a few weeks ago. My thanks to Robert Geraci for organizing the event and showing me around Galesburg, IL.
My talk at the "Workshop on Emerging Topics in #AI: Consciousness and Moral Patienthood" Google NYC. Presenting material from "The Machine Question" trilogy @mitpress.bsky.social
November 4, 2025 at 7:47 PM
My talk at the "Workshop on Emerging Topics in #AI: Consciousness and Moral Patienthood" Google NYC. Presenting material from "The Machine Question" trilogy @mitpress.bsky.social
At Google NYC for the "Workshop on Emerging Topics in #AI: Consciousness and Moral Patienthood." And they are using one of my social media posts as the framing mechanism. I will be talking about "Person, Thing, Robot" @mitpress.bsky.social later this afternoon.
November 4, 2025 at 4:10 PM
At Google NYC for the "Workshop on Emerging Topics in #AI: Consciousness and Moral Patienthood." And they are using one of my social media posts as the framing mechanism. I will be talking about "Person, Thing, Robot" @mitpress.bsky.social later this afternoon.
Judge a book by its cover.
The book that @coeckelbergh.bsky.social and I wrote on #LLMs and #GenAI --"Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social--is featured on the @betterimagesofai.bsky.social blog.
blog.betterimagesofai.org/better-image...
The book that @coeckelbergh.bsky.social and I wrote on #LLMs and #GenAI --"Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social--is featured on the @betterimagesofai.bsky.social blog.
blog.betterimagesofai.org/better-image...
November 3, 2025 at 1:38 PM
Judge a book by its cover.
The book that @coeckelbergh.bsky.social and I wrote on #LLMs and #GenAI --"Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social--is featured on the @betterimagesofai.bsky.social blog.
blog.betterimagesofai.org/better-image...
The book that @coeckelbergh.bsky.social and I wrote on #LLMs and #GenAI --"Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social--is featured on the @betterimagesofai.bsky.social blog.
blog.betterimagesofai.org/better-image...
LLM 101: Critical Introduction to Large Language Models
This Friday (31 October 2025), I will be presenting material from the book "Communicative AI" @politybooks.bsky.social during a #NorthernExposureNIU workshop. 71 North Partnership Studio, Founders Memorial Library, Northern Illinois University.
This Friday (31 October 2025), I will be presenting material from the book "Communicative AI" @politybooks.bsky.social during a #NorthernExposureNIU workshop. 71 North Partnership Studio, Founders Memorial Library, Northern Illinois University.
October 29, 2025 at 12:24 PM
LLM 101: Critical Introduction to Large Language Models
This Friday (31 October 2025), I will be presenting material from the book "Communicative AI" @politybooks.bsky.social during a #NorthernExposureNIU workshop. 71 North Partnership Studio, Founders Memorial Library, Northern Illinois University.
This Friday (31 October 2025), I will be presenting material from the book "Communicative AI" @politybooks.bsky.social during a #NorthernExposureNIU workshop. 71 North Partnership Studio, Founders Memorial Library, Northern Illinois University.
I am really excited about this new essay from Adrienne de Ruiter and published in "AI & Society." This just may be the most substantive, critical engagement with the relational turn as developed by @MCoeckelbergh and myself.
@springer.springernature.com
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
@springer.springernature.com
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
October 25, 2025 at 11:29 AM
I am really excited about this new essay from Adrienne de Ruiter and published in "AI & Society." This just may be the most substantive, critical engagement with the relational turn as developed by @MCoeckelbergh and myself.
@springer.springernature.com
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
@springer.springernature.com
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
Reposted by David Gunkel
After several decades of mutual academic fandom and light remote collaboration, @davidgunkel.bsky.social and I finally met in person yesterday... and the universe didn't explode! We didn't wanna risk a selfie though
October 23, 2025 at 11:50 AM
After several decades of mutual academic fandom and light remote collaboration, @davidgunkel.bsky.social and I finally met in person yesterday... and the universe didn't explode! We didn't wanna risk a selfie though
"Ultimately, Person, Thing, Robot @mitpress.bsky.social is a landmark text, essential for scholars in technology ethics, law, and philosophy." - New book review by Jianfeng Lan and published in "AI & Society" @springer.springernature.com
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
October 21, 2025 at 12:40 PM
"Ultimately, Person, Thing, Robot @mitpress.bsky.social is a landmark text, essential for scholars in technology ethics, law, and philosophy." - New book review by Jianfeng Lan and published in "AI & Society" @springer.springernature.com
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
doi.org/10.1007/s001...
Reposted by David Gunkel
If you're in DC on Oct 23, please attend this conference! I've got a few important things to say about how to re-frame our understanding of AI's "memory problems."
Also @davidgunkel.bsky.social is the Keynote speaker!
Also @davidgunkel.bsky.social is the Keynote speaker!
October 16, 2025 at 12:14 AM
If you're in DC on Oct 23, please attend this conference! I've got a few important things to say about how to re-frame our understanding of AI's "memory problems."
Also @davidgunkel.bsky.social is the Keynote speaker!
Also @davidgunkel.bsky.social is the Keynote speaker!
Tipping point:
Given all the hallucinated content currently produced by human agents with access to powerful distribution networks, relying on #ChatGPT generated material is beginning to look better everyday.
Given all the hallucinated content currently produced by human agents with access to powerful distribution networks, relying on #ChatGPT generated material is beginning to look better everyday.
October 12, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Tipping point:
Given all the hallucinated content currently produced by human agents with access to powerful distribution networks, relying on #ChatGPT generated material is beginning to look better everyday.
Given all the hallucinated content currently produced by human agents with access to powerful distribution networks, relying on #ChatGPT generated material is beginning to look better everyday.
The most effective remedy for the "Irish Flu" is reading about #robotrights @mitpress.bsky.social
October 12, 2025 at 5:29 PM
The most effective remedy for the "Irish Flu" is reading about #robotrights @mitpress.bsky.social
As #AI capabilities become integrated into every application, it will be increasingly difficult to know where the #AI is (or is not). Thus, requiring full disclosure concerning whether and how #AI has been used will quickly become little more than a quaint antiquated practice.
October 12, 2025 at 12:52 PM
What makes the #LLM so philosophically interesting and disruptive is that it topples one of the foundational pillars of modern European philosophy.
For the full story, see "Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
For the full story, see "Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
October 11, 2025 at 4:51 PM
What makes the #LLM so philosophically interesting and disruptive is that it topples one of the foundational pillars of modern European philosophy.
For the full story, see "Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
For the full story, see "Communicative #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social
www.politybooks.com/bookdetail?b...
Rights for Robots?
6pm Orpheum Theatre. Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
Presentation based on the book "Person, Thing, Robot" The MIT Press bit.ly/Gunkel-PTR
6pm Orpheum Theatre. Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
Presentation based on the book "Person, Thing, Robot" The MIT Press bit.ly/Gunkel-PTR
October 8, 2025 at 3:21 AM
Rights for Robots?
6pm Orpheum Theatre. Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
Presentation based on the book "Person, Thing, Robot" The MIT Press bit.ly/Gunkel-PTR
6pm Orpheum Theatre. Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois.
Presentation based on the book "Person, Thing, Robot" The MIT Press bit.ly/Gunkel-PTR
"The Différance Engine"
Now available from AI & Society @springer.springernature.com
Now available from AI & Society @springer.springernature.com
This article from 'AI & SOCIETY' shows how LLMs can be read through poststructuralist theory, and how poststructuralist theory can be clarified and rendered accessible through the technical operations of contemporary #AI. bit.ly/4o1dAkZ @davidgunkel.bsky.social #LLM
October 7, 2025 at 1:33 PM
"The Différance Engine"
Now available from AI & Society @springer.springernature.com
Now available from AI & Society @springer.springernature.com
"AI for Communication" @routledgebooks.bsky.social
Book review written by Juan Luo and published in "Discourse Studies" @sagepub.com
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Book review written by Juan Luo and published in "Discourse Studies" @sagepub.com
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
October 6, 2025 at 11:54 PM
"AI for Communication" @routledgebooks.bsky.social
Book review written by Juan Luo and published in "Discourse Studies" @sagepub.com
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Book review written by Juan Luo and published in "Discourse Studies" @sagepub.com
journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
"Rights for Robots?"
Tomorrow (7 October 2025) I will be at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois for an event at the Orpheum Theatre. The event is free and open to the public...including non-human persons, AI companions, and robots.
Tomorrow (7 October 2025) I will be at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois for an event at the Orpheum Theatre. The event is free and open to the public...including non-human persons, AI companions, and robots.
October 6, 2025 at 2:26 PM
"Rights for Robots?"
Tomorrow (7 October 2025) I will be at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois for an event at the Orpheum Theatre. The event is free and open to the public...including non-human persons, AI companions, and robots.
Tomorrow (7 October 2025) I will be at Knox College in Galesburg, Illinois for an event at the Orpheum Theatre. The event is free and open to the public...including non-human persons, AI companions, and robots.
"If a chatbot is conversant like a person, if it reasons and behaves like one, then is it possibly conscious like a person?"
I was consulted/interviewed for this @theatlantic.com article written by Webb Wright.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
I was consulted/interviewed for this @theatlantic.com article written by Webb Wright.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
The Alien Intelligence in Your Pocket
Are you sure that chatbot isn’t alive?
www.theatlantic.com
October 2, 2025 at 11:23 PM
"If a chatbot is conversant like a person, if it reasons and behaves like one, then is it possibly conscious like a person?"
I was consulted/interviewed for this @theatlantic.com article written by Webb Wright.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
I was consulted/interviewed for this @theatlantic.com article written by Webb Wright.
www.theatlantic.com/technology/2...
@coeckelbergh.bsky.social presenting "The Political Philosophy of #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social during the "Seminal Texts in AI Ethics" at HBKU Doha, Qata
September 30, 2025 at 9:07 AM
@coeckelbergh.bsky.social presenting "The Political Philosophy of #AI" @politybooks.bsky.social during the "Seminal Texts in AI Ethics" at HBKU Doha, Qata